The 25-year-old became Pools’ eighth summer signing after penning a one-year deal.

The former Newcastle United youngster has reams of experience from his time in the Championship with Rotherham, and Scottish Premier League with St Mirren.

Harrison is delighted to add him to his squad after Pools beat off competition from League One side Plymouth Argyle to secure Newton’s signature.

And he believes the midfielder’s style of play will be ideally suited to life in the National League.

“Conor will give us great competition in the centre of midfield,” said Harrison.

“First and foremost, he’s a good footballer but he’s also a very, very fit lad.

“He’s a box-to-box midfielder who will get beyond the front man. He’s energetic and very dynamic, and at six foot he’s also a good size.

“With the physical prowess he has, he will be able to compete on that level as well as with his running power.”

Netwon played more than 60 games for League Two side Cambridge United during his two-year spell at the club, before leaving on a free transfer this summer.

He links up again with fellow Pools new boy Ryan Donaldson, with the pair having grown up together in Newcastle United’s Academy and also playing alongside each other for a season at Cambridge.

With Pools also signing another Newcastle-born player in Louis Laing, and Blair Adams, who hails from South Shields, Harrison is putting together a squad that has a strong local feel to it.

He added: “We want to get people into the area who want to be here, and Conor fits the bill.

“We want to build a squad moving forward that will identify with the area and help us succeed.”

Newton joined Newcastle as a nine-year-old and stayed with the club for 11 years, although he didn’t make a first-team appearance.

He came to prominence in two successful loan spells at SPL side St Mirren, along with pal Paul Dummett, helping the Buddies win the League Cup in 2013, scoring what turned out to be the winning goal in the final against Hearts.

After his Newcastle contract wasn’t extended, Newton joined Championship side Rotherham before moving to Cambridge in 2015, where he made more than 60 appearances, including playing in their 5-0 win at Victoria Park last season.

He joins Donaldson, Luke George, Jack Munns, Jack Cassidy, Scott Loach, Adams and Laing as Pools’ new signings since the season ended.